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Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) is a common herb of grasslands and paddocks easily identified by its yellow flowers and seed ‘clocks’. The flower stem rises up from the centre of a whorled base consisting of toothed leaves, and the whole plant exudes a white sap. Dandelion has many virtues as a medicinal herb but it is largely unknown in this respect in Australia, being considered a nuisance weed because it disturbs the neatness of manicured lawns.

In fact dandelion has long been eaten as a salad green in many countries. It is boiled much like spinach throughout the Mediterranean, and the roots are gathered for use as a vegetable in Japan.¹ The herbalist Maud Grieve describes in her classic book, A Modern Herbal, how herb beers used to be common in England, made of dandelion, nettle or yellow dock.² The roasted root can also be made into a tea or used as a coffee substitute.

Dandelion leaves are quite bitter and for this reason they are recommend as a general tonic to people who have a sluggish digestive system. This weakness can appear in the form of food sensitivities or intolerances with symptoms such as bloating, flatulence and an altered bowel habit. The iris often shows a grey ring around the pupil, especially in older people, indicating a state of digestive insufficiency, which means an under-secretion of mucus, stomach acid, enzymes and bicarbonate. The bitterness of dandelion stimulates the bitter taste receptors on the back of the tongue which innervates the whole of the digestive system, priming it for the coming meal. It may not seem like much of a strategy, yet pale and sickly patients who are prescribed ‘bitters’ such as dandelion, artichoke or gentian before each meal, soon return to the consulting room with colour in their cheeks, indicating progress has been made towards the restoration of health.

Dandelion root can be gathered, chopped and dried for its direct action on the liver, while the leaf is more diuretic in activity. The leaf actually has a diuretic action similar to the modern drug furosemide but without the subsequent loss of potassium that comes with the drug’s continual use. Dandelion contains potassium in abundance.³

Because of its high mineral content, including potassium, magnesium, zinc and iron, dandelion can be used as a nutritive tonic much like nettle. The root is also mildly laxative,  stimulates bile secretions, and has been used since ancient times as a treatment for jaundice.

Stasis in the biliary system and the resultant concentration of bile are factors behind the development of gall stones, so herbs which stimulate bile production and secretion are indicated for its treatment. Dandelion root combined with parsley root makes a good treatment for gall stones.

While dandelion is slow acting it nevertheless influences the whole body: it helps the liver to process nutrients and wastes; it cleanses the blood in cases of stagnation; it also provides the necessary nutrients and co-factors to support digestion and metabolism. This broad range of activity reduces a tendency to auto-intoxication and resultant skin conditions caused by the vicarious elimination of wastes through the skin.

Treatment of the musculoskeletal system is also within the realm of this herb, having an effect on mineral balance while helping to re-calcify bones. The herbalist Mathew Wood adds that it is good for treating sinus infections and allergies, where the bones of the face, head, ear and neck can be affected.⁴ Another traditional use is for treating rheumatism and arthritis.

William Boericke, in his Pocket Manual of Homoeopathic Materia Medica, gives the homeopathic indications for dandelion, which is called Taraxacum. They are a mapped tongue, bitter taste in the mouth, a sore sternoclydo-mastoid muscle, bilious attacks, as well as restless painful limbs and cold extremities. It is also indicated for treating bladder cancer. He recommends it taken as a herbal tincture or in low homeopathic potency.⁵

This article appears in the ebook Wholefoods And Common Medicinal Herbs.

Disclaimer: this article is intended for the purpose of general education only, and is not a substitute for diagnosis, treatment advice, or a prescription that is given in a consultation with a qualified physician.

References:

1.         Cribb J. Wild Food In Australia. Collins/Angus & Robertson; 1990.

2.         Grieve M. A Modern Herbal. London: Tiger Books International; 1994.

3.         Braun, Cohen. Herbs & Natural Supplements, An Evidence-based guide. Elsevier; 2005.

4.         Wood M. The Book Of Herbal Wisdom, Using Plants As Medicines. Berkeley: North Atlantic Books; 1997.

5.         Boericke W. Pocket Manual Of Homoeopathic Materia Medica, c. 1927. Delhi: Indian Books & Periodical Publishers; 2007.